Quick-kelease toggle wrench



gle locking mechanics.

that it required the hands to release the tained by means of a Patented Mar. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,672,778 QUICK-RELEASE TOGGLE WRENCH Harold T. Jones, Vallejo, Calif. Application September 4, 1952, Serial No. 307,879

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in wrenches of the type usually referred to as togpliers or locking wrenches and pliers. Wrenches of this general type above indicated are extensively used and are highly favored by This invention relates more particularly to an improvement of U. S. Patent 2,514,130, granted July 4, 1950.

Wrenches of the general type to which this invention relates were originally so constructed use of both of the operators wrench.

The patent above identified shows one construction by means of which the wrenches may be locked and released by one hand. It is the object of this invention to produce an improved and simplified construction by means of which the wrench maybe released from the work by a simple manipulation by one hand.

i The above and other objects that may become apparent as this description proceeds are atconstruction and an arrangement of parts that will now be described in detail for which purpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawing in which:

I Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in top plan view, certain parts having been removed to better disclose the construction;

Figure 2 is asection taken on line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 33, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing me simple way the relationship of certain parts and forces employed in the construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is similar to Figure 4 but shows a lever arranged with the fulcrum at one end;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary disassembled view showing the relationship of three important elements, and Figure 6a, is a section taken on line Biz-6a, Figure 6.

Referring now to the drawing, reference numeral'ltl designates a'rigid one piece handle provided at one end with a jaw II that is held in place by pin l2. The handle has a channel shaped cross section as shown in Figure 3 and has the shape shown in Figure l. A lever I3 of the first class is fulcrumed on a pivot I4 whose ends are secured in openings in the sides of handle I0. A spring I5 has one end positioned in the space between jaw H and the bottom of the channel and its other end curved towards outwardly in response to an 'spectively with handle lever l3, as shown in Figure l, and is tensioned so that it tends to turn lever l3 in a clockwise direction about its pivot. The lower end. of lever I3 is outwardly curved and is provided with a notch 16. A trigger ll extends through. hole [8 and is provided with a projection I9 that serves as a stop that prevents the trigger from moving outwardly directed force; projection I 9 also serves as a fulcrum or pivot about which the trigger can rock. A spring 20 has one end attached to the outer end of the trigger and the other end resting against the outer surface of the handle and is tensioned to turn the trigger in a clockwise direction about fulcrum [9. Other equivalent construction may, of course, be substituted for the one shown and the same is true with respect to spring l5 which is merely illustrative of means for this purpose.

A movable jaw 2| of the shape shown in Figures l and 6 has a channel recess 22 in which the steel jaw facing 23 is positioned and parallel spaced sides 24 that lap the upper end of lever l3 andare attached to the latter by pivot pin 25. Toggle arm 26 is attached to jaw 2| by means of a pivot pin 21. A toggle link comprising an elongated sleeve 28 and threaded members 29 and 30, one of which has a right hand thread and the other a left hand thread, form a turnbuckle, parts 29 and 30 are connected re- IO and arm 26 by pivots 3| and 32. That part of handle between pivots 21 and 3t forms one link of the toggle.

We now have an assembly like that illustrated in Figure 1. Let us now assume that the block of metal 33 is positioned between the jaws as ure 1 that the three pivots 21, 3| and 32 are not in a straight line, and that pivot 31 is to the left of line 2'I-32. By adjusting the distance between pivots 3| and 32 the extent of the under- 3! shall not pass too far to v pivot 3|, portions 34 fulcrums about which to open the jaws after overset position of toggle and 35 may also serve as the toggle lever can rock lever l3 has been released.

With parts 24, I3 and 11 positioned as shown in Figure 1, but with the toggle in the overset position, the clamping force exerted by the jaws is resisted by pivot 25 of lever 13 that is held from turning by trigger l1. The wrench is now in the locked position. If an operator desires to remove the wrench from object 33 he may do so by one of the following methods. He may urge trigger toward jaw II and then squeeze on the grip ends of members so and 26. Or he may elect to release the wrench from object 33 by urging trigger ll toward jaw H and then separating members 10 and 26. In releasing the wrench by either method mentioned above, pivot 25 will move from the solid toward the dotted line position, the final setting being a, balance between load tension on the wrench and tension of spring l5. In the event that trigger ll be accidentally bumped, the tension ofspring l against lever I3 is sufficient to cause the jaws to maintain their grip on object 33 and prevent the wrench from being separated from the work.

In Figure 5 lever l3 has been shown as fulcrumed near one end and the load 24 positioned between the fulcrum With this construction link Ila will be under tension and must have a hook h to resist the movement of lever 13. Spring i5 may be positioned as shown.

' If lever l3 and associated parts are removed and pivot 25 is attached to handle it] the locking operation will be identicalwith that shown in the patent above identified only the method of releasing the wrench being simplified.

It is therefore evident that the invention in this case resides in for. normally holding pivot 25 in the position nearest the bottom of the channel and providing means for releasing it while the jaws are in locking position and to return the pivot to locking position by means of a spring.

What I claim asnew is:

1. A wrench of the toggle actuated type having an elongated substantially straight handle of channel cross section provided at one end with a jaw, a lever positioned in the channel and pivotally connected with the handle, a movable jaw having an integral arm extendinglaterally from one end thereof towards the handle, the end of said arm being pivotally connected to the lever at a point spaced from the pivotal connection of the lever with the handle so that the pivotal connection of the lateral arm and lever will move towards and away from the handle when-the lever turns about its pivotal connection with the handle, means comprising a spring in operative engagement with the handle and the lever for exerting a force on the lever tending to move its pivotal connection with the lateral arm of the movable jaw towards the handle, a toggle arm having one end pivotally and the right hand end.

the addition of the means lever, moving the movable attached to the movable jaw at its juncture with the lateral arm, a toggle link having one end pivotally attached to the handle at a point spaced rearwardly from the lever between the lever and the end of the handle, the other end of the link being pivotally connected with the toggle arm near the pivotal connection of the toggle arm with the movable jaw, and a trigger device operatively interconnecting the handle and the free end of the lever formingmeans resisting a force acting on it by the movable jaw, tending to move the point of jaw pivotation away from the handle when the jaws are urged into operative engagement with an article to be gripped, said trigger device being accessible from the outside of the handle to effect a release of the jaws.

'2. A toggle operated wrench, comprising in combination, an elongated handle of channel shaped cross section having a jaw at one end, a lever positioned in the channel and pivotally connected with the sides of the handle, a spring in operative engagement with the lever and the handle forming'm'eans tending to turn the lever about its pivot, a movable jaw having a laterally extending arm pivoted to the lever. at ap'oint spaced from its fulcrum pivot, means comprising a toggle arm and a toggle link operatively interconnecting the movable jaw and the handle to rock said jaw about its pivotal connection with the jaw into gripping engagement with an article positioned between the jaws, whereby a force is exerted on the lever tending to move the movable jaw pivot away from'the handle and against the .force exerted on it by the spring, and a trigger mechanism carried by the handle and operatively engaging the free end of the lever to hold the same in its spring biased position in opposition to the force exerted thereon by the movable jaw when gripping an article, the trigger element being accessible from the outside for releasing the lever. v

3. A device in accordance with claim 2 in'which the toggle arm has a projection facing the handle and positioned to engage the opposing surface of the handle at a point adjacent the 'point where the toggle link is pivoted thereto, forming a fulcrum about which the toggle arm can; pivot to spread the jaws after they have'been'released by the trigger. p 7 I HAROLD 'Tl JONES;

References Citedin the file of this-patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Date 1,086,078 Feb-. 3, 1914 1,136,618

2,428,949 -l. Oct 14-1947 2,436,497 Snell Feb 24, 1948 2,5l9,6 3i) Boyer -l Aug. 22, 1950 2,533,436 Collison u- Dec. 12', 1950 2,553,400 Blair -I May 15, 1951 2,613,566 Hadley; Oct; "14, 1952 

